


I Don't Care

by 9haharharley1



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: DADR - Freeform, Dib started a band, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Songfic, Unrequited Love, ZaDr, but was removed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-10
Updated: 2016-02-10
Packaged: 2018-05-19 13:44:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5969287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/9haharharley1/pseuds/9haharharley1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dwicky comes home and Dib has something he's been wanting to say.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Don't Care

**Author's Note:**

> Moved from FF.net. Not beta'd.
> 
> The song belongs to Icona Pop.

Dwicky didn’t know what he had been expecting when he returned to Earth. His first order of business had been to find Dib. The paranormal-obsessed kid he once knew was no longer a kid. Dwicky had been pleasantly surprised to find that he had grown into a handsome young man with the same attitude he recognized from Dib’s childhood. The urge to pull the younger man into his arms had been near overwhelming, but Dwicky managed to control himself. Barely.

 

He had expected yelling, accusations, even a punch to the face. Instead, he got a lot of bewildered staring. Dib even smiled! He allowed Dwicky to explain his past actions and listened attentively. Then they talked.

 

They talked about everything and nothing, sitting on Dib’s couch, sharing past experiences. Dwicky talked about space and Plookesians. Dib talked about school and college. Apparently, he was in a band with some friends. Dwicky was happy for him.

 

Then Gaz had come home. She and Dib still lived with their dad while at college; no sense moving out when they could live there for free. Gaz took one look at Dwicky and the most evil, hateful gleam entered her eyes (so much like Dib’s) and a mean smirk pulled at her lips.

 

“You have a show tonight, don’t you, Dib?” she asked sweetly. “Maybe you should take Dwicky with you.”

 

That was how Dwicky found himself on the top floor of a local club. The dance floor that doubled as a mosh pit was below and he had an excellent view of all the gyrating bodies and opening band on stage. At the table next to him, Gaz sat with the alien Zim. Seeing the alien for the first time in years made Dwicky jump, especially now that he knew Zim was Irken. Irkens were bad news and he knew it. Knowing that who he once thought as Dib’s little green friend was one of the worst beings in the universe made him feel all kinds of horrible. He had left Dib with an Irken! What kind of friend was he? How would Dib ever forgive him?

 

Zim was glaring at him. Dwicky didn’t have to look at the Irken to tell. He could feel those fake eyes boring into his temple. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zim mutter something. Gaz laughed. Dwicky felt incredibly awkward.

 

He was used to aliens, weapons, and quiet flights through space. This was far from any of that. The club was loud. There were too many people. The only thing keeping him from running towards the nearest exit was the prospect of Dib singing.

 

Suddenly, the crowd was cheering as the opening act said their farewells, introducing Dib’s band to the stage. More cheers and screams. Then Dib was walking on stage with three boys his age and a girl with pink hair. Dwicky recognized them from his counseling days. It seemed so long ago…

 

Dib said hello and introduced Zita, Dirge, The Letter M, and Brian to the audience. Then they were playing and Dib was singing.

 

It was a fast-paced rock song, one Dib had written himself, and his voice washed over Dwicky and made his heart pound. It was beautiful. Glancing over, Gaz and Zim were also watching. Dwicky was surprised to find Zim’s eyes glued to the stage. A small smile played at thin, green lips and Dwicky found he was angry and jealous.

 

What right did the alien have to enjoy Dib’s voice? Why was he even there? Zim had ruined Dib’s life! Hadn’t Dib said that he wanted to see the Irken on a slab?

 

Another song started, this one slightly slower, but upbeat. Dwicky tapped his foot to the music. Dib was a other person on stage. He exhibited a confidence Dwicky hadn’t known existed. He dance, and jumped, and interacted with the audience. It was a complete 180 from the insecure, ten-year-old he’d once known.

 

Then again, what had Dwicky been expecting? Had he hoped that Dib was still as insecure as he used to be? Did he want to fix him? It didn’t really look like Dib needed fixing…

 

Time passed quickly as Dwicky thought, enjoying the show and the gleam of sweat he could see on Dib’s brow. He ignored the alien and scary girl at the other table in favor of watching the attractive young man on stage. Before long, Dib was taking his bows and the crowd was whining.

 

“I don’t have anything else for you!” Dib told them. They screamed a chorus of ‘encore’ in reply. Even Zim and Gaz were shouting it down at him. Dib laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Give us a moment, then!” The audience cheered.

 

As the band conversed, Dwicky caught Zim taking a seat next to him. Dwicky eyed him wearily.

 

“You can’t have him,” Zim said.

 

Dwicky glared back. “And why would you think that?”

 

“You wouldn’t have come back,” Zim told him with a shrug. “I’m telling you now, he won’t go with you.”

 

“And how would you know?” Dwicky growled, turning to him. Zim continued to stare down at the stage. “I can take him to the one place he’s always wanted to go.”

 

Zim smirked as the band took their places once more. “Things change and you’ve been gone a long time, human.”

 

“I think we have something for you!” Dib shouted, interrupting what Dwicky would have said to the alien. The crowd cheered and Zim sat back. Dwicky continued to glare out of the corner of his eye. We decided that we’re going to cover a song. Now don’t complain; Zita and I like this one! Maybe some of you will recognize it, but hopefully, you all like it!” More cheering and Dib flashed a bright smile. “I’m dedicating this one to an old friend of mine. I saw him earlier today for the first time in _years_ and I think this is appropriate. He’s in the audience now, in fact.”

 

Warm fuzziness filled Dwicky to his core. He was about to turn to Zim and shove his words back down his stupid alien throat, but Dib’s smirk turned positively evil, a hateful glint lighting his eye. It rivaled his sister’s in intensity.

 

“This is for you, Dwicky,” Dib snarled. “Thanks for screwing me over at the tender age of ten, you ass!”

 

The bottom dropped out of Dwicky’s stomach. Zim was smirking next to. He could hear Gaz laughing harder than ever at the next table.

 

The base started and Dib was singing, amber eyes homing in on Dwicky’s and freezing him in place.

 

“I got this feeling on a summer day when you were gone.

I crashed my car into a bridge. I watched. I let it burn.

I threw your shit into a bag and pushed it down the stairs.

I crashed my car into a bridge.

I don’t care! I love it! I don’t care!”

 

The music swelled, the crowd went wild, and Dwicky felt his world shatter. Dib stared at him with eyes so full of hate and betrayal that it made him sick. It hurt so much more than any slap to the face Dib could have ever given him.

 

“I got this feeling on a summer day when you were gone.

I crashed my car into a bridge. I watched. I let it burn.

I threw your shit into a bag and pushed it down the stairs.

I crashed my car into a bridge.

I don’t care! I love it! I don’t care!”

 

He wanted to leave. He wanted to run back to his shuttle, back to the Plookesians and their weapons. He wanted to run away from those amber eyes so full of hate and hurt, but he couldn’t move. He was frozen.

 

“You’re on a different road.

I’m in the Milky Way.

You want me down on Earth, but I am up in space.

You’re so damn hard to please.

We got to kill this switch.

You’re from the seventies, but I’m a nineties bitch!

I love it! I love it!”

 

The pure rage in those words sent cold shivers up Dwicky’s spine and made him tremble. He couldn’t bring himself to look away. Below him, the crowd was going wild, dancing, screaming and singing. Zim’s eyes were riveted to the boy on stage, and suddenly, Dwicky understood why Zim was here to begin with.

 

“I got this feeling on a summer day when you were gone.

I crashed my car into a bridge. I watched. I let it burn.

I threw your shit into a bag and pushed it down the stairs.

I crashed my car into a bridge.

I don’t care! I love it!

I don’t care! I love it! I love it!

I don’t care! I love it!

I don’t care!”

 

Dwicky remembered when Gaz had walked in while he had been talking to Dib. She had been so angry and now he realized why. She had been angry on Dib’s behalf. Then she had put this idea in Dib’s head. It was horrible, and vengeful, and no less than Dwicky deserved.

 

“You’re on a different road.

I’m in the Milky Way.

You want me down on Earth, but I am up in space.

You’re so damn hard to please.

We got to kill this switch.

You’re from the seventies, but I’m a nineties bitch!”

 

Zim was smiling serenely next to him, eyes closed, head bobbing to the music. And Dwicky knew. It was Zim. It was always Zim and it would never not be Zim. The Irken embodied everything Dib knew and loved, and not for a second would the young man give that up. Zim was right. It had been years, and things had changed. Dwicky wouldn’t be able to persuade Dib of a single thing, even if it meant accompanying him in space.

 

“I don’t care! I love it!

I don’t care! I love it! I love it!

I don’t care! I love it!

I don’t care! I love it! I love it!

I don’t care!

I love it.”

 

As the song ended, the crowd cheered, whooped, and hollered. Dwicky was finally released from Dib’s cold gaze, ripping his eyes away from the younger man’s. The band thanked the audience once more, bowing and blowing kisses. Dwicky felt sick.

 

Slowly, and with much effort, he stood. He couldn’t look at the alien next to him, but took a deep breath.

 

“All right…” he whispered. He Zim would hear thanks to his advanced hearing. “I got it. I know when I’m not wanted.” He chuckled bitterly. Thankfully, Zim stayed silent. Dwicky released a shaky breath. “Tell him…” he trailed off. Tell Dib what? I love you? I miss you? Dear God, I’m so sorry, please forgive me for all the wrongs I have caused you? None of that would change a thing. Dwicky finally looked at Zim and surprisingly found sympathy in those fake human eyes. “Tell him something…” Dwicky whispered. Zim only nodded and for that, Dwicky could appreciate him. Dwicky turned, hands in his pockets, and walked away. “See you around…” he called over his shoulder.

 

Honestly, Zim didn’t have the heart to correct him.

 

An hour later, Dib was helping his band mates load their gear into Dirge’s van when Zim found him outside. Dib smiled at the alien and kissed green lips in greeting.

 

“Hey…” he said softly. “Did he get the hint?”

 

Zim nodded. “I think he’d be an idiot if he hadn’t. Good job, by the way. Great show.”

 

“Thanks,” said Dib. The others stated their thanks and greetings.

 

Silence fell over them as they loaded the last of the equipment. Dib waved to his friends as they said good bye and parted. When it was just he and the alien, Dib finally released a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair.

 

“What’s wrong, Dib-love?” Zim asked. He gently took the human’s hand in his.

 

“It’s just…” Dib sighed again. “Do you think that was too mean?”

 

“I think it was no less than he deserved,” admitted the Irken. He squeezed Dib’s hand. “He understood.” Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he was tugging the human back into the building. “The Gaz-monster says she wants to take you to Bloaty’s for a job well done. I think she’s proud of you for being an ass.”

 

Dib laughed and followed the alien. “She would, but if she’s paying…” He tugged Zim back against him so they could walk side by side.


End file.
